Last Birthday
by Danny vs A Month
Summary: Naruto needs to get a gift for a certain someone but everyone seems to have other ideas. But it seems the gift isn't as important at Naruto had hoped. Especially given the birthday girl's news. character death. depressing.


I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.

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><p>Last Birthday<p>

Naruto walked out of his apartment with a smile for the first time since he had returned to the Leaf Village. Usually he would be happy after he finished waking up but usually that took a while. Today was different. It was exactly three days until Hinata's birthday. He normally wouldn't even pay attention to birthdays or holidays but Hinata was different. Before he left, he had to admit that she was attractive, albeit a bit strange. But now, she was downright beautiful. No one in the entire village could deny that. And she was no longer strange. She was kind, brave, and strong. Naruto had yet to spend more than five minutes with her, conscious, and he still knew it. He wasn't even sure how he knew.

To say that Naruto had a crush on Hinata now would be a massive understatement. He had fallen for Hinata, plain and simple. The funny thing about it was, he didn't have the guts to tell her for fear of her rejecting him and instead tried to hide it. He tried so hard, in fact, that she was the only person in the entire village that didn't know. Of course, no one would tell her, they all felt that it was Naruto's place. Just like they never told him about her crush on him.

Naruto walked into the village looking for any place he could go shopping for something that would be a good present for her without making himself the laughing stock of the village for the rest of his natural life. As he wandered, he realized he had absolutely no idea what Hinata liked and didn't like as well as the fact that he had no clue what he should get any of his friends besides Choji.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Sakura and Ino walked out of a store each carrying twelve bags.

"Oh hey Naruto," Sakura said. "What are you up to?"

"Oh, um, trying to...think of a present for Hinata," Naruto admitted turning red.

"Need any help?" Ino asked.

"Sure," Naruto said.

"Then you have to carry our stuff for us without clones and come with us while we finish shopping," Ino said grinning evilly.

Naruto groaned but held his arms out and the girls slid the handles up his arms until they were completely full then put the last few in his hands. Then, they went to the next store. After three hours, Naruto had bags piled three feet above his head but they were finally at Sakura and Ino's house. Ino opened the door and Naruto carefully walked in and set the bags on the couch, floor around it, and the counter.

"There," Naruto said. "Now will you help me?"

"Alright," Sakura said. "Hinata doesn't need a gift. Being with her friends is enough. However, when in doubt, get a girl jewelry. Every girl loves it but it can't be just anything. It has to mean something."

"What do I get?" Naruto asked.

"That is something you have to figure out on your own," Ino said.

Naruto groaned and left. He went to Ramen Ichiraku for lunch then went back into town, almost instantly meeting Kakashi.

"Hey Naruto, I need you to help me set up traps around the village," Kakashi said. "You'll have to do it yourself though because I need them placed in specific places."

"I'm busy," Naruto said.

"It won't take long," Kakashi said. "Come on."

Naruto sighed and followed Kakashi out of the village and to the forest around it. They placed hundreds of traps all around it then returned but it was already night and all of the stores were closed. Naruto got supper then went home and to bed. The next day he left his apartment in a much worse mood than the day before.

When Naruto reached the first jewelry store, he went inside and spent a half hour looking at the jewelry but found nothing to buy for Hinata. He left the store and repeated the process several more times before meeting Shikamaru.

"Hey, there you are Naruto," Shikamaru said. "Listen, I need a hand with something."

"Busy," Naruto grunted walking past him.

"I'll help you find a present for Hinata," Shikamaru offered smirking.

"Fine, what do you need?" Naruto questioned.

"I need you to deliver some stuff to Kurenai for me," Shikamaru stated.

"What?" Naruto questioned.

"Medicine," Shikamaru stated holding up the bag. "I'll meet you here when you get back."

Naruto took the bag and delivered it then went back to where he had seen Shikamaru but he was gone. Asuma walked out of a store then and waved.

"Asuma-sensei," Naruto called running over. "Do you know where Shikamaru went?"

"Shikamaru?" Asuma questioned. "I think Lady Tsunade had a mission for him. Why do you ask."

"No reason," Naruto growled walking away.

Naruto went from one jewelry store to the next trying to find something to give Hinata. Finally he gave up and had dinner then went home since the stores were closed anyway.

"Times up Naruto," Naruto muttered to himself as he lay awake in bed. "And still no present. I suppose I might as well try that store up on the far end."

He rolled over and went to sleep. The next day, his alarm didn't go off so he woke up exactly fifteen minutes before the party was supposed to start, and once it did, the doors were closed, invitation or no. He took a shower, got dressed and brushed his teeth in record time, taking only ten minutes then made it to the store in two. He looked around at the jewelry in a hurry but it didn't matter, the only necklace that caught his attention was one he would have bought anyway. It was a simple gold chain with a perfectly round and smooth topaz hanging from it with a carving of a fox inside it.

"How much for this necklace?" Naruto asked impatiently.

"Five thousand Ryo," the owner stated.

"Just make it quick," Naruto growled handing over the money.

The owner handed him and necklace and Naruto sprinted out of the store, toward the party. Three minutes later, he skidded to a stop just as the Hyuga standing outside to keep late guests out slammed the door closed.

"No no no!" Naruto growled. "I need to get in there. I have an invitation."

"No admittance after the doors close," the Hyuga stated.

"Please," Naruto begged. "I'm only late because everyone was making me do crap for them so I couldn't get a present!"

"What's your name kid?" the Hyuga chuckled.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto stated and the Hyuga's eyes widened.

"Shit you've got some luck," the Hyuga sighed. "You were the entire list of people who had no time limit."

"I'm what?" Naruto questioned.

"Go on in," the Hyuga said opening the door.

Naruto blinked in surprise then stepped inside and stopped. the party consisted of the Konoha 11, their captains, and Hanabi. The gifts were piled off to one side, massive boxes wrapped in colorful paper. Naruto was partially ashamed that he hadn't had time to wrap his own present to her. He also wouldn't be putting it on the table. He turned back to the guests to see that they were all staring at him expectantly and in annoyance.

"Well?" Sakura questioned.

"Well what?" Naruto replied.

"Where's your present?" Sakura demanded.

"Oh, you mean the one that you and Ino, and then Shikamaru were all supposed to help me pick out after you successfully wasted every second I had to get one?" Naruto spat. "That present?"

Sakura, Ino, an Shikamaru all lowered their gaze in embarrassment and shame and the others all went back to whatever they had been doing before. After a few minutes, they all fell silent as Hinata walked into the room wearing a beautiful lavender gown. Naruto, out of instinct scanned the guests reactions and noticed several that he didn't like but none that were overly threatening.

"Thank you all for coming," Hinata smiled looking around. "There's something I want to tell you that you should have known a while ago. I'm-"

She stopped as she entered a coughing fit, Neji and Hanabi rushing forward and helping her out of the room. After a few minutes, Neji came back out and looked around with an unhappy expression.

"She wants me to tell you all for her," Neji sighed. "For several years now we've kept this hidden but now it won't matter. Hinata is dying. She has an untreatable, incurable disease. This will be her last birthday. She would like to apologize for hiding it. She just didn't want you all to think of her as being weak."

Everyone stared at him in shock. No one knew quite how to respond and a couple glanced back at Naruto to make sure he wasn't going to do anything stupid. Finally Hanabi led Hinata back out. Hinata was pale and suddenly looked tired but was still smiling.

"You sure you don't want to rest?" Hanabi questioned.

"No," Hinata smiled shaking her head slowly. "It's my last birthday. I'm going to enjoy it with my friends, not sleep it away."

Hanabi sighed but nodded and everyone got their present and gave them to Hinata one at a time. The gifts ranged from dresses to makeup to random things to help her train. Naruto, not having rapped his, stood off to one side and pretended he hadn't had time to get one for her. Finally they were finished and people began to make their way to the snack table where Hiashi had agreed to let them have sake so long as Hanabi didn't have any. Naruto considered drinking but instead made his way to Hinata, who he noticed was off to one side of the room.

"So...you're dying?" Naruto questioned.

"Y-yes," Hinata nodded. "I don't have very long left."

"Oh," Naruto breathed.

They stood in silence for a long while. Naruto's plans and hopes for the night were all but crushed and he felt like he wanted little more than to curl up in the corner and stay there until he died. Finally he found himself pulling out the necklace.

"I did't have time to wrap it, sorry," Naruto apologized as Hinata stared at it in surprise.

Her face turned crimson but she smiled as she pulled it on, tears rolling down her face. Naruto reached up and wiped them away out of instinct and Hinata caught his hand, holding it in both of hers as she silently cried. Naruto pulled her into a hug then led her out of the room to her room, which he knew only because it had her name on the door.

They sat down on the bed, Naruto holding Hinata against him as she wept and Hinata struggling to stop. Naruto gently ran a hand through her hair as she cried and she finally managed to stop nearly an hour later.

"I don't want to die," Hinata stated finally. "I don't. I'm scared."

"It's going to be okay," Naruto promised. "You'll go to heaven and then you'll never need to be scared again."

"I don't care," Hinata sniffed nearly crying again. "I don't want to have to say goodbye to my friends. I don't want to lose the people I love."

"And we don't want to lose you," Naruto stated. "I, don't want to lose you. I care about you too much."

Hinata looked up at him in surprise and he could only smile weakly.

"Guess I have a pretty crappy sense of timing huh?" Naruto smiled.

"Yes, you do," Hinata laughed before kissing him.

After a couple minutes, Hinata pulled away and bent over, coughing, blood splattering on the floor. Naruto pulled her hair out of the way, unsure what else he could do. Finally the coughing fit passed and Hinata picked up a glass of water beside the bed, washing her mouth out with it.

"How long do you have?" Naruto questioned.

"The doctor says I'll...the end of today, at the latest," Hinata stated. "Will you stay with me? Until I..."

"Of course," Naruto promised. "I'll stay with you until the end."

Hinata nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder and trembling slightly. He looked at the clock and saw that it was already ten o'clock. He shifted around so that he was laying on the bed with Hinata laying with her head resting on his chest and his arms around her. And there they stayed, remaining silent and dreading what they both knew was coming quickly. After a time, Hinata began to tremble, struggling to hold back a coughing fit. Eventually she coughed, then began to cough hard and continuously, sounding like there was something solid stuck in her throat. She continued to cough, blood continuously splattering across the bed, floor, and Naruto's chest, Hinata being too weak to lean over the bed. Finally the coughing fit subsided and Hinata lay still. Naruto wanted to get the water for her but knew it wouldn't matter. It was no longer needed. And so, he left it where it was. After a while, Naruto gently lay Hinata on her bed, careful to keep her out of the pool of blood. Then he folded her hands on her abdomen and placed a light kiss on her forehead before turning and walking away, leaving everything he had to live for behind along with everything that made him human.

THE END

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